Alliance with benefits

psycocan, 10 months ago

And Israel is the bastard

WolfhoundRO, 10 months ago

Umm, that’s a father-son relationship for them. What are they…?

EnderMB, 10 months ago

I don’t really think there is a special relationship any more.

Iraq war aside, there hasn’t really been much of a relationship. Brexit helped destroy this, because we’re now a tiny country begging for trade deals with nothing other than a weak pound and cheap labour to offer, with zero desire to engage with the US’s poor food standards and heavily privatised healthcare industry. Biden has been closer to Ireland, if anything, and probably for good reason.

What is very surprising is that the US hasn’t engaged in a trade deal to install parts of their tech infrastructure here, or to allow US students cisa options to live/stay here, given the UK has world-class universities. Pair this with a UK-specific visa akin to what Australia has with the US, and it gives benefits to both sides.

The special relationship was always a bit of a meme here in the UK anyway. Tony Blair was Bush’s lapdog, because it kept him looking powerful.

Pissnpink, 10 months ago

Well, who else could you count on to go bomb schools in the middle east with if not your good pal the UK. It not fun if the USA does it alone.

Steve, 10 months ago

I kinda expected both of them to be dudes

dodgy_bagel, 10 months ago (edited 10 months ago)

Britannia hardly seems like a boy’s name. That, and they produce more queens than Austin.

ininewcrow, 10 months ago

The ‘Other Countries’ description is appropriate when you look closely at Wolverine’s mask … which looks like two Batman’s kissing each other

LetKCater2U, 10 months ago

Holy shit!

WarmSoda, 10 months ago

Israel would probably be more apt.

angrymouse, 10 months ago

These weapons would not sell themselves.
Also, is not France a closer ally of US?

Gradually_Adjusting, 10 months ago

They deserve to be, for their historical support and democratic roots, but we are too uncool and therefore vibe with the English instead

ivanafterall, 10 months ago

It raises an interesting question: which is the actual coolest European country? I feel like Italy would have a pretty strong argument.

Anticorp, 10 months ago

I will support your nomination.

ivanafterall, 10 months ago

Aw, thank you. I guess I am pretty cool. I'm calling that the end of the poll!

Poggervania, 10 months ago

We literally would not be the US if it weren’t for France, they sent a ton of troops to support us during and even a bit after the American Revolutionary War.

Huge shoutout to Spain as well for their help.

partial_accumen, 10 months ago (edited 10 months ago)

We owe a tremendous debt to Lafayette. We will not forget it.

Kase, 10 months ago

Did you forget Lafayette? Have you an ounce of regret?

HobbitFoot, 10 months ago

After the War of 1812, the UK started to recognize the USA as a local power it had to deal with diplomaticly instead of with war. This gets shown in the negotiation of the 49th parallel and its maintaining of the Monroe Doctrine. Hell, the USA almost declared war against France after the Civil War to liberate Mexico.

Post World War I, the UK seemed to be the better ally. The UK was more willing to let the USA expand into core imperial territories during and after World War II. The USA didn’t have to fight a post British imperial war like it did for France in Vietnam. You also had the UK fall in line in NATO while France didn’t.

France would have been the better natural ally, but things change over time.

Everythingispenguins, 10 months ago

But they speak French… /S

So France was the first ally of the US. Recognizing it as a country before the end the revolutionary war. Though that was mostly to piss the UK off.

They have always kind of been a bit of frienemies. With various different geopolitical slights over the years. I have always thought that a lot has to do with who gets to be the lingua franca and the center of science and learning.